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Topic: Water (04/26/04)
TITLE: Natural & Spiritual Water By Doug Laird 04/30/04 |
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Without water, not a single plant or animal would live very long. Fish and marine life forms receive their oxygen from water. The human body cannot live long without water and yet its quality has much to do with the overall health of human beings.
Minus water, the human body would be reduced to dust & chemicals.
The presence of water is one of the elements that scientists search for as an indication of life forms, as we know them to be, existing or having existed on other planets.
Water was used in various Old Testament (Lev. 14:5/Lev. 16:24) Numb. 5:17, 23/Numb 19:7) & New Testament rituals. (Marl 1:8).
Jesus used water in His first public miracle (John Chapter 2).
In the natural realm, sources water must be located, maintained and readily available. The threat of there being no safe water for human consumption has become a real issue in the day and age in which we live. Man-made pollution and contamination as well as our water supply being a target for terrorists are issues that can no longer be denied or ignored.
Just as physical water is needed in order to sustain natural life, so it spiritual water necessary to sustain spiritual life.
Thirst is something that God places in the soul of every human being. This thirst is not one of physical need that can be quenched with natural water. The thirst of the soul can only be satisfied with spiritual water that comes to us as a result of establishing a relationship with God. This relationship is a result of salvation secured by believing in the Person (who He is) and the Works (what He did on the cross) of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This water cannot be bought or earned through human works. Once received, the thirst is eternally quenched and never has to be addressed again. “...whoever drinks of the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14 NIV). The benefits of this water are eternally secure.
There is a second thirst that a Christian will develop as he spiritually matures. This is the thirst for truth and spiritual power that will enable him to execute the post-salvation spiritual life that all Christians are called to following salvation. The water that quenches the thirst for a relationship with God is eternally satisfied with one serving, but the water needed to satisfy the desire for truth and spiritual ability will be increasingly desired as we “ grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). The more we come to know, the more we will want to know.
Thank God that the water needed to quench the thirst of salvation is resolved once and for all when we are born again. Sadly enough, many Christians believe that they can lose their salvation and spend much of their post-salvation life trying to retain what cannot be lost. They are born again & fellow believers, but they have not come to know the truth that sets one free from such religious bondage. (John 8:32).
Thank God that it is He and not ourselves that is the source of the spiritual water that is available not only to quench the thirst for salvation, but to satisfy our ongoing needs and ability to execute the post-salvation spiritual life that follows.
Thirsty, anyone?
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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (R) Copyright (C) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All Rights reserved.